Hotch and Prentiss: Did You
by Live-4-CM
Summary: Aaron finally realizes that he did the one thing he never wanted to do which is why he broke up with Emily. A year later he realizes the mistake he has made.


Author's Note: This is another one shot for the song title prompt forum. They have some fantastic songs up there. Go and take a look.

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds. I do not own the song Did You.

Song Title Prompt: Did You by Kelly Clarkson

Emily was listening to a song on the stereo and it made her think of Aaron. She wondered if he had ever loved her like he had said that he did. The song made her really question everything that had happened between them. Especially the chorus to the song. She really needed to know the answer to her questions but she was afraid of the answers that he may give. She decided it was better not knowing the answer. She already had a broken heart that was just finally starting to mend. Did she really want it broke all over again?

She started when she heard a knock on her door. She pressed pause on the song and she thought it was fate trying to tell her something because when she paused it she paused it at the chorus. She walked over to the door and opened it without even thinking to look who was on the other side. If she had looked to see who was there she probably wouldn't have opened her door.

She gasped when she saw who was standing on the other side of the door. She couldn't believe that he was here. Did he want to finish the job that he started almost a year ago? As it was even though they have been broken up for a year it still hurt to see him. She had loved him with all of her heart and he just shredded her heart to pieces. She had thought many times of leaving the BAU but she figured she had already lost one thing she loved why should she lose something else she loved.

"What do you want Hotch?" Emily asked in a snide tone.

Aaron flinched at the sound of her voice. It had been a year today that he had broken things off with this woman. He had hoped that maybe just maybe she was over the hurt he had inflicted on her. He saw and heard now that she wasn't and he couldn't blame her. He left her because he was scared that he would let her down the same way he let his ex wife down. It had taken him a long time to realize that is exactly what he had done by breaking things off with her. He wanted her back in his life and he was prepared to do anything and everything he had to do to get her back.

"I need to talk to you Emily. This was the only time I figured that we both had free so we could talk." Aaron said firmly.

Emily glared at him. "I have nothing to say to you Sir. Unless this is about a case I suggest you leave. I was doing something before you arrived and I'd like to finish doing it."

Aaron looked around Emily into her apartment and didn't see what she could be possibly doing so he looked at her. "Don't call me sir Emily. You won't like the results. And what are you doing anyways?"

Emily huffed and looked at Aaron. "I'll call you sir if I want too. Do you really want to know what I was doing? If you do come on in then. You can listen to this song and then answer the question that you are about to hear during the chorus of this song. It's something I've wondered about for the last year Aaron. Maybe now I can finally get the answer I need so that I can fully move on."

Aaron didn't like the sound of that but nodded. He didn't want her moving on to anyone but him. He didn't want her with anyone that wasn't him. He just hoped that he could convince her of that.

Once Emily shut the door after Aaron was inside her apartment she walked back over to her stereo. "Aaron make sure you listen to these words. I don't care if you listen to the rest of the song or not but make sure you listen to this chorus."

_Did you ever care for me?  
Did you ever believe in me?  
Did you ever love me?  
Did you?  
Did you?  
Did you?_

Once the chorus was done playing Emily hit the stop button once more and turned to look at Aaron with the question in her eyes as well as tears. "Well did you Aaron? Did you ever care for me? Did you ever believe in me? Did you ever love me? Did you damn it? Or was it all a lie? Was every touch, every word, every kiss a lie Aaron?"

Aaron saw all the doubt in Emily's eyes and mentally cursed himself. He saw every fear and doubt she had about herself in her eyes. He could have kicked his own ass right there and then. Instead of running he should have told her how he felt. Now she doubted that he ever loved her and she was doubting herself. In two strides he was by her side and pulling her into his arms and kissing her with all the pent up emotion has held in for the last year.

Aaron broke the kiss and looked at Emily. "What do you think Emily? What did that feel like to you? Did I ever care for you? Hell yes I cared for you, damn it all Emily I still care for you. Did I ever believe in you? I never once stopped believing in your Emily. I stopped believing in myself. Did I ever love you? Emily I have loved you for every second of every day for the last thirty months. I don't know how to stop loving you. So the answer to all of your questions Emily is a yes except for the last two. None of it was a lie Sweetheart. Every touch, every word and every kiss was true Emily. I swear to you it was true."

Emily stared at Hotch and then picked up the closest thing to her and threw it at his head. She watched as he didn't even try to dodge it and it connected with his head.

"Then why Aaron? Why have you put me through this hell for the last year? Why did you leave me? Did I do something wrong? What is it? Why after eighteen unbelieveably happy months did you choose to end it?" WHY DAMN IT? JUST TELL ME WHY!" Emily finished in a yell.

Aaron knew he was only going to be able to get her back if he told her the whole truth so he took a deep breath. "I was scared that I would let you down the same way I did Hailey. I couldn't live with myself Emily. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let you down the way I did her. Hell Emily I love you more than I ever loved Hailey. In the end I ended up letting you down anyways. I'm so sorry for what I've put you through but I've never stopped loving you Emily. I need you in my life. I can't keep going on the way I am. It hurts to much to live without you."

Emily was shocked to see tears glistening in Aaron's eyes. That was all it took for her to take the one step that would put her in his arms. As soon as she took that step Aaron wrapped his arms around her tightly and bent his head to give her a loving kiss. She knew that they would make it now. She loved this man with all that was in her. She would fight for him and she knew that he would fight for her.


End file.
